Maze of Relationship
by FlameOut
Summary: Persona 4. Groups of one-shot with various genres and pairings. Warning and coupling can be found at the top of each chapter. Warning for some yuri, swearing and some violence.
1. Everything You Stand For: Kanji x Naoto

_A/N: I haven't posted anything here in a long~ while. Doesn't mean I haven't wrote anything lately, just not posted here, ya'see, this place scares me._

_This is one of those Bathhouse story. The request was to use this phrase: "I hate you and everything you stand for."_

_

* * *

  
_

"I hate you." Kanji choked out, fist tightened and jaw clenched and his eyes's fucking stinging too. "I hate you and everything you stand for."

It's not true, of course, it would be ridiculous if it was true. He spend so many months being nervous and _love-struck_ around her, that if it was true it would make him one big idiot.

No, he was just leashing out again, he knew. It's his way of dealing. Being angry and punching away the problem, the sadness and agony. Tears was easily masked by an angry sneer. He knew he shouldn't be hiding from himself like this again, but old habit dies hard and he had done this for years.

And Naoto knew this, he suspect. Would explain why she's silent and letting him leash out on her like this. Standing, silent and calm even in the face of someone twice her size.

That's what Naoto stood for. Kanji knew he wasn't really lying, a small part of him really hates what she stood for.

Order and control. She rarely let her emotion win against her organized thought. And Kanji knew that had started to rub off him too. Starting to get the hang of controlling himself, but nowhere near mastering it.

A small part of him hated her, bringing order into his chaos. Opposite and he can't adjust fast enough. He had always been angry, solving problems with fists and harsh words. But her order tells him it's wrong to leash out at the others. He hated that voice, telling him what he's doing was wrong.

But he can't be like Naoto, can't throw away age old habit with a blink. So he targetted her. She might've known this too, the girl is too damn smart for her own good.

Reckless too, still standing in front of him, not moving away as he shouted his throat raw. Her gun arm only twitched once when he shoved her back to the wall. So much control that Kanji envied her and pity her all at once.

When he finally slumped down, his voice gone and his emotions spent, he just lied his head against Naoto's shoulder. His eyes still stung and he half wonder will Naoto feel the slight dampness on her shirt.

"I hate you." No, really, he didn't. But it felt good to let the last of his anger out.

Small, thin arms wrapped around his neck. A whisper. "I don't."


	2. Fairy Tale Red: Chie x Yukiko

_A/N: A little bit of yuri won't hurt anyone, yes?_

_Bathhouse story: Chie/Yukiko; what if the prince can't protect the princess?_

_

* * *

  
_

In fairy tales, the princes always protects the princesses, from dragons to witches to some snotty evil princes. But the general gist is always the same; the prince protects the princess, even if it kills him.

But this isn't a fairy tale.

Chie bite into her bottom lips hard, so hard that it starts bleeding, and it hurts too. But nothing can compare to her heart.

Yukiko looked up at her, a small smile gracing her face and she raised a hand to brush across Chie's cheek. Her hands was cool, not at all like how Chie remembers them used to be; how warm they were before when they were dancing across her skin on a cold night.

"I'm sorry." Chie breathed out, gripping Yukiko's as she tries to hold back her tears, and her effort amounts to just a rock in a flood. A tear rolled down from the corner of her eyes, and Yukiko moved her fingers to wipe it away, even as her hand was still in Chie's. "I'm sorry Yukiko... I failed."

There's a deep and long slash across her abdomen and it's bleeding out. Red on red, the blood matched her sweater seamlessly. Chie tighten her grip on Yukiko's hand.

"I'm sorry..." She trailed off. What's she going to say? - _Sorry that she can't protect her? Sorry she haven't been the prince she deserves? Sorry she can't save her, from her family business and from the shadows? _- It doesn't matter, all of them are right.

Yukiko just smiled - the gentle sweet smile that usually reassure her everything will be okay, _but it's not okay... _"It's okay Chie." _It's not..._

Chie wants to shake her head, tell her it isn't okay. But Yukiko's eyes are closing and her hand is getting colder, even as Chie places her lips against it before leaning down and place it on Yukiko's equally cool lips.

"Hey Chie? Does red really look good on me...?" Yukiko asked, her breath growing shorter, her face losing the lush colours it used to hold and her eyes half-lidded. But she's still smiling, smiling like nothing is wrong.

Chie freed one of her hand to wipe away the tears. Her lips twitched and curved into a smile, but there is no humour in them. "Yea Yukiko, red always looks good on you."

Red on red, she looked like a princess lying on a rose garden, if she ignore the copper smell filling her nose. And Yukiko. Yukiko looked like she's sleeping, that smile still on her face even as her eyes closed, her hand going limp and dropped to lie by her side.

Chie gathered the princess into her arms and cried. No matter how hard she tries, this isn't a fairy tale.


	3. Shadow Days: Shadow Naoto x Naoto

_A/N: This one, I'm happy with (I'm rarely happy with my own writing, ya see...). It made me feel sick to my stomach at first, but I think I grew to like it eventually..._

_Yes, ANOTHER Bathhouse story: Shadow Naoto/Naoto; what happens in between when she was kidnapped to when the team arrives. Side-tracked to AU. Inspired by Zero-Damage's "QuickSilver" (read it when they post it, damn it!)_

* * *

It was like looking into a mirror, except her reflection came back with golden yellow eyes and tears soaked face. It was also like watching the past. Huddling into herself and just let loose everything inside.

She don't do that anymore, Naoto reminds herself, and the one in front of her is way to big to be just a shard of her memory.

"Why are you crying?" She asked, voice low and tired.

Her doppelgänger looked up. There is something within those eyes. Childlike, but very dangerous. Conscious too, like she knows how everything is going to be. The doppelgänger - her Shadow, was it? - curled up into a ball some more, wrapping her arms around her knees and bowed her head. "I wanna get out."

From this lab, was Naoto's first thought. And who wouldn't? She sure wants to. The yellow fog leaking in, along with the dull green and grey of the lab itself is making her eyes sting, makes her feel dizzy and sick. And tired too. So she slip down and sat beside her shadow, back leaning against the operation table behind them. Large saws and laser beams. Naoto wants to know what her shadow's planning, but not right now. Too tired to think up phrasing words together.

Suddenly, she can feel heavy weight clinging around her arm. Looking down, all she can see is an identical cap. "Don't leave me alone. I don't want to be alone."

Naoto didn't answer, it wasn't a question. And she is too tired to answer, so she just closed her eyes, her mind already drifting off. Her head lulled and finally dropped to rest on the cap. Shadow Naoto didn't make a sound, just wrapped her arms around in a full on hug.

The body is warm and it makes her feel not so alone anymore. She likes that.

* * *

She's a detective after all. Her job is to find the truth, but there is little for her to question, so she chose to ask about the table, the saw and beams and all the other familiar looking instrument lined neatly on a tray by the table.

Her Shadow eyes was different now - hours, days and weeks don't matter when there is no nightfall or sunrise - and yellow eyes just glanced at her, her lips pressed in a straight line. "It's for the body altering procedure, of course." She looked like she wants to add on something, but refrained. Shadow Naoto knows calling her an idiot is calling herself one. "We should begin soon. Preparation is almost complete." She fiddled with something on one of the cracked monitor screen.

"There would be no need for that." Naoto said behind her, looking over her Shadow's hunched back to the same monitor. Camera feedback from all around the lab, from each floor. And there was the team she knew was involved, with Souji leading them through winding corridors.

"Still on the top floor. They won't be here on time." Shadow Naoto answered, her tone somewhere between gleeful and fearful. "They won't make it here to save you."

Naoto shook her head. She knew that possibility. It was part of the risk she knew she would be taking, admittedly not how she imagined it, but she knew there was a risk she won't make it out alive. Still... "You don't know that."

Shadow Naoto didn't answer, just turning around to stare at her. Conscious, like she knows how everything is going to be.

* * *

The fog made her feel claustrophobic and she mumbled that in passing. She felt worse the longer she stayed, tired and drained. Sick to her stomach and made her feel more and more sluggish. But she moves around the room anyway, even when Shadow Naoto asks her to lie on the operation table.

"Why must you be so stubborn!" Her shadow's voice boomed and she seems to grow slightly bit taller, slightly bigger.

Because she's a detective. She has to be persistent to find the truth and solve cases. She didn't say it though, just not complying to her shadow's wish.

"Because persistent is all you got to defend yourself from those moronic police force." There is that too. "They can't find their elbows on a map, let alone the true culprit of this case! And they have the idea to close the case on Kubo's arrest when it's evident that something is still amiss!"

Naoto placed a hand to her head, her dizziness catching up with her again. She swayed, but arms caught her and she gripped the fabric of a large lab coat.

"And their insufferable egos! They won't listen to us, just because we're a child in their eyes." Her Shadow continued, almost entirely uninterrupted even as she dragged Naoto across the room to the operation table. "Well, they won't be looking down on us anymore. Soon, soon. Soon, we'll be equal to them!"

Closing her eyes, Naoto decide just a little rest would be okay. Her mind was too hazy, and she couldn't work out a respond to her shadow - though one is there, she knows there is one - but she still have enough sense to feel the large lab coat was covering her, along with an extra body lying down next to her. She would have protested when a pair of arms wrapped around her, but she can't work up any strength at all. Yea, sleep is good...just for a little while.

* * *

Naoto finds it odd, that one moment her shadow would be telling her they won't be a child soon, and the next turns into just that. She looked down at the same golden eyes, bigger now, wider, and a hint of innocent in them.

"Let's play something!" Her shadow chirped and seems to actually grow smaller.

Before Naoto can answer, she had already let go and went over to the monitors. Naoto glanced at the screen. The team was here again today, but they only managed to get to the third basement floor. She recall when her shadow was more serious, she told her there was ten floors in this secret base. They're at the very bottom. Seven floors and Naoto isn't sure how long she can last in this anymore.

Her shadow return from digging under the work desk the monitor was perched on, holding a small box. She showed it to Naoto proudly. A deck of playing cards. "I made them myself!" She claimed excitedly, opening the box and shows her all the drawn cards. "Let's play a game!"

Games. Games are for children and she isn't a child anymore. But... it's also something to take her mind off things. It's a form of entertainment and she can't seems to find anything to latch on to focus her mind anymore. It was either this or stare at the monitor...

She spread out her hand, watching her shadow gleefully place the hand-made deck into her hands. She shuffled the cards in quick succession. "Just this once..."

* * *

Sometimes, her shadow would seemingly pull out tools and toys from nowhere. Naoto is sure there is only so much space under the work desk you can hide things before it became obvious. When her shadow finally moved away from watching the monitor showing the team - the fifth floor and they haven't even opened that certain door on the fourth yet - with an unreadable expression, Naoto didn't expect her to pull out a book. Her shadow handed it to her.

"It's a detective novel." Her shadow said, sounding serious. This would be the first time her shadow gave her anything while being her more serious self. Naoto took the book reluctantly. "Sit down and read it to me."

She wasn't given much choice to argue, as her shadow just pushed her to sit on the operation table. Naoto no longer knows what's happening, how long she had been confined here or why she seems to get more tired and drained as time goes by. Why her mind is so hazy, and why her shadow doing the things she does. Like right now, why her shadow climbed behind her, how did she seems to be so much bigger then Naoto all of a sudden, and why is she almost draping herself over her.

"Read." Shadow Naoto reached over and opened the book. "Just read."

And they spend a long time together.

* * *

Today, something changed. Naoto can't find any power in her body to move off the table. She don't even remember sleeping on it. When she cracked her eyes open, she find herself staring at the grey ceiling, covered by the same lab coat she had become familiar with. Something was off, she tell herself. The yellow fog is missing. And so is the usual body next to her, she realize a moment later.

She turned, and there was her shadow without her lab coat, her back turned to her.

"What..?" Her throat feels dry and clogged. And she feels unusually hot, like she have a fever. She can't understand why.

Her shadow glanced back at her, her expression was as unreadable as when she was staring at the monitor. "The fog lifted here."

It sure feels like the fog had disappeared and misplaced itself into her mind. She can't make sense of anything and what her shadow just said didn't make a dent in her confusion. Especially when her shadow just hugged herself, her shoulders shaking. "I don't want to be alone again..." She sobbed. What does that have to do with anything? Why is she so tired, so drained?

There was a roar from the other side of the heavy door. A loud bang resounded.

"I don't want to be left behind..." Her shadow sobbed quietly, the hands gripping the opposite arm tightened.

Another bang, the door responded now, starting to slide open.

"...so... I won't let them take you from me!" Shadow Naoto's grip tighten, so much so that it ripped holes into her shirt sleeves. A layer of visible aura, dark and foreboding, surround her, just as the door clicked open and a wave of dark arms comes into the room.

The last thing Naoto saw from her tunnelling vision was a pair of wings ripping through her shadow's back.

* * *

When she woke up again, Naoto was surprised she even can wake up. A redundant thing to think about, she dully noted. Then she noted the fever she seems to be having last was gone. Her head not any clearer, even when the yellow fog had returned into the room. Still in the same place, lying on the operation table. Still draped by a large white lab coat.

"You're awake..." A small voice said beside her. It took a lot more effort then Naoto ever remember to just turn her head. Her shadow was there but... why is there black liquid running down half her face? "You're awake..." Her shadow moved, wrapping an arm around her but otherwise remain next to her. The dented, slashed double door behind her shadow was important, her mind tells her. She can't figure out why. "You didn't leave me..." And she can't understand why her shadow would be crying over that fact. She haven't even tried, had she?

When her shadow pulls back, her face was unreadable again. "We have to do the operation quick." She climbed off the operation table and Naoto can see several dark stains on her clothes.

"Why? I-"

"You can't leave me now. You just... can't." Her shadow replied, hurriedly too as she went around gathering instruments. "We have no one. No one came to save you. Save us. We have to save ourselves... right?" She paused, tilted her head for a moment, not disturbed by how much dark liquid bleed out from somewhere in her head. "Stubbornness is good. Persistent helps find the truth...right?"

The only thing Naoto can think of was how familiar that thought sounded.

When Shadow Naoto returns back to the table, trays of instruments resting on mechanical arms from the table, the first thing she did was take off her hat. "Close your eyes."

Naoto doesn't want to. Doesn't know what she is about to do to her, but she can't voice it.

"We have to save ourselves..." Shadow Naoto have warm hands, Naoto realize, as she placed it over her eyes. "This place drains you. But not me. But you are me, so... this should be alright, right?"

A needle prick later and she knows no more.

* * *

When the foggy day descended to Inaba, the Investigation Team didn't know what to think. They had failed, they couldn't reach Naoto on time and the fog already set in. By next morning, they were all heavy at heart, silently trying to steel themselves for the news that the detective body is found hanging from somewhere in Inaba. When that news didn't came, however, they're shocked beyond belief.

How did she stave that off? They had asked each other for a full week. Is she already dead somewhere, just not found? No, Rise had confirmed later, Naoto-kun is still in the TV world. Still at the very bottom of the secret base.

They don't know the mathematics to what happened, but the fact that Naoto wasn't dead gave them motivation. Gave them hope. And when they finally reached the last basement floor, they were enthusiastic. The sight of the heavily dented doors, slashes and burnt made their hope drop considerably.

Souji glanced around his team once, earning a nod from everyone that they are ready, before pushing the button.

The door slide open noisily and they rushed inside without delay, weapons drawn for a confrontation, expecting to find Naoto and her Shadow standing on opposite end and arguing already.

What they found was wholly different.

A large lab coat on an operation table, half the table covered in dried blood. Bloody instruments hanging above the table and on trays on either side. Standing in front of the table was a figure that looked like Naoto, with blue shirt, sleeves rolled up and a yellow tie, her clothes covered in splotches of black. The familiar hat was hanging above the table too, an identical one next to it. She had her backs to them, but she turned her head enough to glance at them, looking them over with a yellow eye.

"You... you're Naoto's shadow!" Kanji shouted, hands on his shield. "Where is Naoto, you bastard?"

She didn't answer, but nodded at something and reached up to grab both the hats from where it hung. She put one on and handed the other one to...

"What the..." Yosuke voiced, taking a step back.

Naoto stared back at them, half her face covered in blood, matching how her shadow's face was half covered in black liquid. She put her hat on, adjusted it and stared at them, one eye her pale blue, the other; yellow. And both Naoto - identicial with Shadow Naoto's one pale blue eye - smirked at them. And when they spoke, they were in unison, both voices echoing.

**"You left me behind, so I have to save myself..."**


	4. Stick Like Glue: Shadow Naoto x Hanako

_A/N: This is the second weirdest one I wrote. The weirdest one yet, you might never see (who wants to see Ameno-Sagiri getting it on with a Giant Squid?)_

_You guessed it by now, another Bathhouse special: Pair your favourite character (Shadow Naoto) with your least favourite character (Hanako), without bashing anyone._

* * *

It was raining out, water lashing against windows and the wind howled. That didn't interrupt Hanako though, as she listened to the pattering of rain drops splashing against her umbrella. She gave herself a determined nod and willed her shaky legs to remain still. She took a short brief glance around the rooftop, made sure no one else is around, and checked her watch. Still minutes of lunchtime left.

Then a white limb interrupted her vision. She looked up and her eyes widen.

Golden yellow eyes stared back at her, the only feature among a figureless white shape. The eyes sparked, and it might be grinning.

_"You're lonely."_ Nothing moved, but the voice echoed even amongst the rain. _"So very lonely. Poor poor Hanako."_

Hanako gripped her umbrella handle tightly. "Why are you following me?" She yelled, as loud as she can. It doesn't reach anywhere near the volume it can.

There was a hollow chuckle without humour. _"Because you called me." _It moves - gliding, because there was no feet - and circles her. _"You called, and I came to answer." _Hanako tries to turn around, tries to keep the shape in her sight, but fails, her body frozen. Fear? Or something else? She doesn't know. _"I'm here now." _And suddenly, it's behind her, whispering into her ear and sending shivers down her back. _"You won't be alone anymore."_

The voice echoed, and trailed off back into the splattering of the rain. Everything was still.

Then, Hanako broke down.

* * *

"How is she?"

"Her fever broke, but she's still shivering. And won't say anything on what happened."

A sigh. "Well, there isn't anything else we can do for now. We'll have to wait until she tells us."

"But," A pause. "What if she doesn't tell us?"

There was a heavy silence. Hanako clutched the blanket closer, buried her head deeper into the pillow.

"We'll have to bring her to a psychiatrist then."

Her father's words stung, but there was no way she can tell them the truth. The end result would still be the same; end up in a mental hospital somewhere. But that shouldn't matter, not when she can't be certain if she's still sane anymore.

_"Don't cry."_ The same voice. And she ignores the sting in her eyes. _"Everything will be okay."_

Hanako shook her head slightly and hugged herself tighter. Dug her head deeper into the pillow and try to drown out the voice. It didn't work.

_"They don't understand, those moronic adults!"_ Anger, laced with a hint of malice and the eyes flashed brightly. _"Adults, they believe they can solve everything. The fog, the murders... they will not listen. They will not understand!"_

The temperature shifts, and Hanako feels boiled.

_"No one understand us, right? That's why we should stick together, you and I."_ A shift, and things changed. Lighter tone, lower volume, and so much more cheerful then before. _"Don't worry, the fog won't get you. I have a secret safe place..."_

* * *

The fog that had fallen since October never lifted once. Rumours starts to spread soon after on the affect of the fog has on human bodies. People getting sick, the feeling of the occasional eyes watching people. None of that stop the running of Yasogami, however, a fact Hanako is very grateful off. Anything to stop her from being alone, even if no one will approach her.

Not even Kashiwagi. Hanako haven't seen her in a week now, and neither has anyone else.

She stood by the second floor's stairs during lunch. It's much better then the roof, more people and less chance of being alone. No one even glance at her as she sat by the steps. Alone, in a crowd.

A classroom door slide open somewhere down the hall. She doesn't shift her sight until Yukiko Amagi, Miss Yasogami of 2011, marched down the hallway, face red and if Hanako look a bit closer, she can see the tears tracing down her cheeks. A second pair of footsteps followed after her, and Chie Satonaka run pass biting her lips, uneven breathe and glittering, teary eyes.

Hanako can feel the sudden sprang of jealousy and wished Kashiwagi was there.

* * *

A week later, Kashiwagi return to school. She explained to everyone that she had caught a bad fever and was send to a hospital outside of Inaba. Hanako didn't believe her, not when she was very much fine as she chatted excitedly about her chance to be on screen. She cornered the older woman on it after school, two days after her return.

"There is something that you have to look underneath to understand, Hanako." Kashiwagi looked tired, and her eyes looked like she had seen far too much in just two weeks. "Something you have to experience to believe."

Hanako almost snorted - _when you have a white shadow following you around, you'll believe anything._ She wants to tell her - but kept her mouth shut.

"So even if I told you, you won't believe me." Kashiwagi shifted, a hand gently rubbing against the frame of a pair of light pink glasses. "I-I'm sorry, Hanako." Stuttered, her confident shot and she stared at the ground.

Hanako didn't reply, there was nothing she can say. So they sat in front of the school, just silent and still until a blond haired, blue eyes boy comes over to ask Kashiwagi away.

Then Hanako was all alone again.

* * *

_"Alone?"_ The whole house was dark. Her parents was away, out of town to personally bring in a stock of gas mask for the demanding public.

So Hanako didn't say anything - the answer was obvious - and kept sniffing, curling into a ball.

_"No no, that's not right. You're never alone."_ A body draped over her. Or try to. She's easily twice the size of the body. _"Not when I'm here."_

Hanako shivered, because that's true.

* * *

The fog was getting worse as November came to an end. It was thick, so thick that it's hard to even see the road right in front of you. It was also yellow, which is an odd colour for natural fog, which gave way to panics and rumors. Poisonous fog, Junes conspiracy, government experiment. They all ran across town as the hot gossip. Hanako thinks they are just being silly and ignores the rumour. However, she can't ignore how the shade of yellow looked a lot like the pair of eyes watching her.

* * *

December 23rd, sitting in her room with only a desk lamp, Hanako remembers when this all started.

It was the start of 6th of October when Hanako experienced something unusual. At exactly midnight, her room temperature fell and a very blurry white shape stood by in a corner. It wasn't solid, no features and Hanako chalks it up as her imagination.

She remember it as October 6th exactly, because it was on that day they found that kid-detective body hanging in the Shopping District.

That night, after she remembers, the white shadow that had been following her for more then 2 months looked so much clearer. White lab coat, small frame and yellow eyes, but the old blue cap and blue hair was hard to miss.

The white shadow - a splitting image of that kid-detective - looked happy that she can see him clearer. But frowned when Hanako hide under the blanket, shiver in pure fear and chanted prayers for the rest of the night.

* * *

24th of December, monsters emerges from the fog and everything went to Hell.

But she was safe, just like that kid-detective-shadow said before. Inside a world with more yellow fogs, with dark, smudge-like creatures, but he's more solid. He protects her, with a half machine body and arms that felt cold on first touch when he wrapped them half way around her waist. And he promised he'll never leave, as long as she won't leave him.

Not like she had a choice, but she thinks she can grow to like his company.

So she stayed.


	5. Short and Simple: Rise x Naoto

_A/N: The shortest piece I have written thus far. And I have an excuse for it!_

_A 'microfill' from the Bathhouse: Romance is different for every couple... what is romance for *insert pairing*._

* * *

Romance isn't a date; watching movie, dinner and hugs and kisses. Rise had it all figured it out. That's her dream date, but not reality. She's far too busy to dream them anymore.

The reality is, for Rise, romance is feeling everything Naoto does. Kanzeon humming behind her, but she is positive she can feel Naoto without her persona. Romance is frowning everytime Naoto was selected to be the frontline of the team. Is wincing whenever an attack connects. Aches when she's infected with fear, and cries when she's enraged.

Romance is the soft words she whispers to Naoto and it calms her down; a soft touch and she snaps back from being enraged.

Most of all, romance is when they got out of the TV, and Naoto acts as if nothing is wrong when she's with the others, and once out of sight, would collapse in front of her.

Romance, is when Naoto trust her with her weakness, and she gets to help her back home, together.

Romance is love; short and simple.


	6. See Me: Kanji x Shadow? Naoto

_A/N: Life had been busy. Things come, things go, and my motivation has always been kinda lacking, but more so now..._

_Anyway, you know the drill, another Bathhouse fill, this one was quite a while ago: Kanji meet Shadow Naoto again while training in the Secret Lab._

_This one is inspired by Zero-Damage's story, where it was the other way around. His fill gave me some ideas, which later turned into this fill. He's also awesome, so check him out. Now._

* * *

It starts with a giggle practically out of nowhere. First sign of trouble, and Kanji felt alarm bells ringing in his mind. Naoto never _giggles_. Seven floor down the basement, and it got worse. Kanji swore he heard sobbing at one point, and when he just turned to glance out of the corner of his eyes, Naoto snapped at him for it.

When they reached the ninth floor, there was no use hiding it.

"Idiotic children shouldn't get in the way." Naoto muttered, her eyes practically glowing yellow. A groan, and a shift in eyes colour left Naoto stumbling to steady herself against the cold gray wall.

Kanji moved forward to help, trying to understand what happened - or more accurately, trying to deny it was happening - when cold metal met his face, with enough force to whip his head towards the floor.

"If it weren't for you, I would be able to solve this case!" Eyes yellow, and staying yellow. "You're a liability, holding me back."

Instinct made Kanji crawl back from her, just as the first bullet lodge itself into the plain floor. Second shot, Kanji saw coming and lifted his shield fast enough to block it. "Shit Naoto, stop!" His voice echoed along with a third shot, gazing his shoulder and drawing a thin line of blood.

"Stop? Stop?! You dare tell me to stop when you're the one slowing me down!" He can sense it, a slight difference. The Shadow Naoto he met before was never quite as dangerous, never quite glared this hard. Or maybe it was before, but the image was softened by tears soaked sleeves and cries of help. "If it weren't for you and your friends, I would have succeed in the operation. I wouldn't be the laughing stock at the station, nor became nothing more then a mere object to be chased after from my peers!"

The fourth bullet was a misfire, Kanji was sure. Shadow Naoto looked ready to kill, yet the fourth bullet was lodged several feet away from him. He gripped his shield closer, Take-Mikazuchi's power humming underneath his skin, begging to be let out.

"Wha- we never-" What was he suppose to say? _Sorry you got so much shit from people for being who you are? _He don't want to tempt fate. "It-it wasn't -we didn't- damnit, Naoto! I know you're still in there!"

He climbed to his feet and fumble to get his shield up before a bullet bore into his skull. The fifth shot made a dangerously deep dent on the shield, and Kanji let out a Ziodyne before he had time to correct himself. It came out flawlessly, Take-Mikazuchi's large body completely covered Shadow Naoto from view, and all he can see was the flash of blue as the electricity thundered down from above and watch the last remaining shards of his persona's weapon fade from existence.

When he can see her again, Naoto's hugging her arms close to her, fingers digging deep into each arm and her head tilted down. Her cap was off, lying a little distance away. Kanji sucked in a breath. Had he overdone it? Sukuna-Hikona is powerful, but don't resist lightning at all. Was she hurt?

Then he notice a small dark circle on the floor. Then another. And another.

"Na-Naoto?" Kanji never had to deal with a crying girl before, and up until that point, he had no idea what to do with himself around Naoto. He bit cheek and remain still.

Naoto lifted her head slightly, glancing at him. Kanji can't place the colour of her eyes - a mixture of blue and yellow, yet not doesn't mix to green - and can't focus on anything else except her tears.

"I tried." She took in a shaky breath. "I tried to change, and everything got worse. No one took me seriously anymore. Maybe I shouldn't have try at all."

Kanji opened his mouth, searching for words, any words, when he heard a small click. Naoto - Shadow Naoto? - clicked the chamber out and back in with a flick of her wrist, inspecting the gun with a detached look on her face. "I shouldn't have come here, then everything would still be alright. I would still be a boy in everyone's eyes..."

Suddenly, a million words flooded Kanji's mind - _But you're not a boy. But if you didn't come here, I won't be the person I am now. If you didn't come here, the true culprit would still be at large right under our nose. It's not your fault, it's society being an ass. You can't change the past. _- and he would have said it all, tell her everything someone should've told her ages ago. Except he didn't. He moved forward instead, pulled her into his arms and held her tight.

"You don't need to change." He whispered, and his eyes stung for a second. A distant voice echoed in his head - _'Can someone, anyone, accept me for who I am?' _- but this isn't his time to let loose. "You're fine the way you are. I like you the way you are."

She was still for a moment and Kanji froze, afraid he made a mistake and assumed he knew what he was doing. But when a hand gripped his arm loosely, desperately, he relaxed again. They were both outcasts, both uncomfortable in their own skin. They rejects society's norm - a boy who like to sew and cook, a girl who won't ever wear a dress and wields a gun - and society rejects them both.

But maybe, just maybe, they don't need society's acceptance.

They have each other. That's more than enough.


End file.
